The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will soon begin its investigations into the high-security registration plates (HSRP) scam in Uttar Pradesh, following directions from the Allahabad high court.
The Central agency has to complete its investigations within six months and submit its report to the high court.
What is important is that the CBI has been asked to look into the criminal aspect of the scam as well. The court observed, “The CBI is directed to investigate the entire process with regard to grant of contract, including the criminal antecedents and link of the opposite party.’’
CBI sources said they have received directions from the court and will soon launch its investigations. “There are allegations that some of the promoters of the company were booked under COFEPOSA so will investigate this aspect also,” an official said.
What the investigating agency, sources added, will also probe is whether the company has a cartel of at least two more firms with a view to get contracts for HSRP across the country.
The CBI’s investigations will also look into the possibility of whether this cartel of these three companies is duping the state governments of Meghalaya, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh where such number plates are being supplied for `1,800 each. Shockingly, this is nine times higher than the price accepted for the HSRP in Delhi.